The FKNK writes to EU Commissioner directly over trapping

The Federation for Hunting & Conservation – Malta (FKNK) has written directly to the EU Commissioner for the Environment, Janez Potocnik, with reference to the Commission’s letter of Reasoned Opinion which was sent to the Malta government with regards to “the live-capture with traditional clap-nets (colloquially called trapping) in autumn/winter of four huntable bird-species.”

“In this regard the Malta government seems to have applied incorrectly the 12th derogation from the ‘Birds’ Directive,” FKNK said.

The FKNK said it “was obliged to write directly since it is informed that all the material the FKNK produces, which on the Maltese government’s instructions are always supplied to the Malta Ornis Committee, does not get the Commission’s attention. Therefore, the Commission has only, any information which anti-hunting and anti- trapping entities supply directly to the same Commission.”

FKNK said its letter contained explanations as to how the five conditions of the derogation, ‘no other satisfactory solution,’ ‘small numbers,’ ‘strictly supervised conditions,’ ‘judicious use’ and ‘selectivity,’ can be satisfied.

The letter also detailed other factual local situations with regards to ‘trapped birds are never for consumption,’ ‘number of trapping sites’ and ‘Natura 2000 sites.2